The Hunger Games
2/4
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson
Rated PG-13 for Intense Violent Thematic Material and Disturbing Images-All Involving Teens
When I read Suzanne Collins' book, "The Hunger Games," it became immediately clear why Hollywood would want to turn it into a movie franchise. First, it has sequels, and Hollywood loves sequels because of their minimal risk and big paydays. Second, it has action (which is a must for a big budget movie). Third, it's fantasy (well, technically sci-fi, but whatever), and that's been really big over the past decade. And finally, it has a romance, and that brings in tween girls (the action brings in the guys).
The book was like an expanded-upon screenplay: lots of action, romance, a fast pace, two-dimensional characters and "themes" going on in the background (none of which, I might add, are new). The first descriptor, however, is the film's biggest challenge. Making a big budget movie that's all about teenagers killing each other in a sadistic deathmatch means that the director is going to have to tread lightly to keep the PG-13 rating (teenagers being the primary audience).
Sadly, director Gary Ross (who made "Pleasantville" and "Seabiscuit," both of which are wonderful films) doesn't succeed. Actually, he fails by quite a bit. In an attempt to make the bloodshed get the adrenaline pumping while not being too disturbing, he shakes the camera aggressively. It doesn't work. The film is still too violent for kids and everyone else will feel cheated. Ironically, the shaking of the camera backfires because we can't see anything so our mind picks up the slack, and that can be worse (just ask anyone whose seen a horror movie).
In any event, the story goes like this: after a devastating war, a new community was created. There is a capital, and 12 outlying districts. Every year, the Capitol hosts the Hunger Games, where two tributes (one boy, one girl) are sent into the arena to fight to the death. In District 12 lives a girl named Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) a spunky girl who hunts food with her friend Gale (Hemsworth). Kantiss' younger sister, Primrose (Willow Shields) is picked for the Games, but in order to save her from certain death, Kantiss volunteers in her stead. Now she must train hard and fight to make it out alive.
Aside from the bust of action scenes, there are other problems. First off, the acting is flat. Jennifer Lawrence, a talented young actress, does what she can, but it's not much. Her co-star and love interest (a point I will get to later), Josh Hutcherson, is awful. Hutcherson has never been an actor of significant range, and pairing him with Lawrence (even at her worst) only highlights his deficiencies. Hemsworth is good, although his role is brief (judging by the buzz, he'll have a bigger role in the later movies). None of the adults, Harrelson, Banks or Stanley Tucci are on long enough to make an impression.
When the "Twilight" franchise hit it big, teen romances in "epic" circumstances became big. The romance between Katniss and Peeta (Hutcherson) is highlighted in the movie, but it's disappointing because it fails to make mention the circumstances in which they occur. In the book, there was more to this romance than what is "shown," but in the movie, the two are star-crossed lovers. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since it makes sense from a storytelling and a financial perspective. But Lawrence and Hutcherson have zip chemistry, which makes our investment in their relationship zero.
The film has more than doubled its production budget after one week, so film versions of the sequels are a sure thing. Here's to hoping that they improve.
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson
Rated PG-13 for Intense Violent Thematic Material and Disturbing Images-All Involving Teens
When I read Suzanne Collins' book, "The Hunger Games," it became immediately clear why Hollywood would want to turn it into a movie franchise. First, it has sequels, and Hollywood loves sequels because of their minimal risk and big paydays. Second, it has action (which is a must for a big budget movie). Third, it's fantasy (well, technically sci-fi, but whatever), and that's been really big over the past decade. And finally, it has a romance, and that brings in tween girls (the action brings in the guys).
The book was like an expanded-upon screenplay: lots of action, romance, a fast pace, two-dimensional characters and "themes" going on in the background (none of which, I might add, are new). The first descriptor, however, is the film's biggest challenge. Making a big budget movie that's all about teenagers killing each other in a sadistic deathmatch means that the director is going to have to tread lightly to keep the PG-13 rating (teenagers being the primary audience).
Sadly, director Gary Ross (who made "Pleasantville" and "Seabiscuit," both of which are wonderful films) doesn't succeed. Actually, he fails by quite a bit. In an attempt to make the bloodshed get the adrenaline pumping while not being too disturbing, he shakes the camera aggressively. It doesn't work. The film is still too violent for kids and everyone else will feel cheated. Ironically, the shaking of the camera backfires because we can't see anything so our mind picks up the slack, and that can be worse (just ask anyone whose seen a horror movie).
In any event, the story goes like this: after a devastating war, a new community was created. There is a capital, and 12 outlying districts. Every year, the Capitol hosts the Hunger Games, where two tributes (one boy, one girl) are sent into the arena to fight to the death. In District 12 lives a girl named Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) a spunky girl who hunts food with her friend Gale (Hemsworth). Kantiss' younger sister, Primrose (Willow Shields) is picked for the Games, but in order to save her from certain death, Kantiss volunteers in her stead. Now she must train hard and fight to make it out alive.
Aside from the bust of action scenes, there are other problems. First off, the acting is flat. Jennifer Lawrence, a talented young actress, does what she can, but it's not much. Her co-star and love interest (a point I will get to later), Josh Hutcherson, is awful. Hutcherson has never been an actor of significant range, and pairing him with Lawrence (even at her worst) only highlights his deficiencies. Hemsworth is good, although his role is brief (judging by the buzz, he'll have a bigger role in the later movies). None of the adults, Harrelson, Banks or Stanley Tucci are on long enough to make an impression.
When the "Twilight" franchise hit it big, teen romances in "epic" circumstances became big. The romance between Katniss and Peeta (Hutcherson) is highlighted in the movie, but it's disappointing because it fails to make mention the circumstances in which they occur. In the book, there was more to this romance than what is "shown," but in the movie, the two are star-crossed lovers. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since it makes sense from a storytelling and a financial perspective. But Lawrence and Hutcherson have zip chemistry, which makes our investment in their relationship zero.
The film has more than doubled its production budget after one week, so film versions of the sequels are a sure thing. Here's to hoping that they improve.
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